Storm on the Levels

Detective Kate Hamblin Mystery #12

by David Hodges

Multiple murder strikes at the very heart of the desolate Somerset Levels in the midst of the worst snow storm to hit the south west of England in more than a generation. On their way home from a short break, Detective Sergeant Kate and her partner, Hayden, are stranded in a lonely country lane when Kate’s car breaks down. Forced to take shelter in the isolated Warneford Hall Hotel, which is allegedly haunted by a faceless ghost, the detectives find themselves stuck there for several days, cut off from all lines of communication with the outside world.

When one of a group of former university graduates staying at the hotel drowns in the hotel’s lake in suspicious circumstances, Kate and Hayden are pitched into a complex murder investigation, which is to tax every ounce of resolve they possess without any prospect of backup and with a ghostly apparition watching their every move from the shadows. As the body count starts to mount, they find that they are up against a clever, twisted adversary who has no intention of quitting until whatever perverse force is driving them is satisfied.

But as they delve ever deeper into the secrets buried in the gloom of the old hotel - in particular behind the locked door of the mysterious clocktower - the hunters end up becoming the hunted, with the deadly trap that has already been set for them promising to abruptly end their investigation along with their lives in truly horrific style…

Genres: Fiction

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 17, 2023

About the author

A former superintendent with Thames Valley Police, with thirty years experience in the force, David Hodges is a prolific crime writer and author of twenty crime novels plus an autobiography on his life in the police service. His debut crime novel received critical media acclaim and a welcome accolade from Inspector Morse’s creator, the late great Colin Dexter, and since then he has become the author of several successful stand-alone thrillers, including BLAST, TARGET and BURNOUT, published by Lume Books (formerly Endeavour Media).

In particular, his Somerset murder series, published by Joffe Books, which is set on the mist-shrouded Somerset Levels in England and features the exploits of feisty detective, Kate, and her easy-going partner, Hayden, has gone from strength to strength. It has attracted keen interest in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia as well as in Britain.

The first six previously published thrillers in the series are also available on Audible for sight challenged readers and those who prefer the spoken word. All David's novels are available on amazon in paperback and Kindle format.

David's latest novel in his Murder On The Levels series, SHADOWS ON THE LEVELS, was published by Joffe books on 1st January 2025, and he has now been invited to talk about his books and his 'life of crime' at the Words In Watchet Literary Festival in Somerset. This will take place at the Methodist Church, Harbour Road, Watchet, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm on Sunday 23rd February 2025 and readers and non-readers will all be very welcome. (https://www.wordsinwatchet.com)

David has two married daughters and four grandchildren and lives in the UK with his wife, Elizabeth, where he continues to indulge his passion for thriller writing and to pursue his keen interest in wild life and the countryside.

He is a member of the Society of Authors, The Crime Writers Association, The Crime Readers Association and International Thriller Writers Inc.

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Multiple murder strikes at the heart of the desolate Somerset Levels in the midst of the worst snowstorm to hit the southwest of England in more than a generation. On their way home from a short break, Detective Sergeant Kate and her partner, Hayden, are stranded in a lonely country lane when Kate's car breaks down. Forced to take shelter in the isolated Warneford Hall Hotel, which is allegedly haunted by a faceless ghost, the detectives find themselves stuck there for several days, cut off from all lines of communication with the outside world. When one of a group of former university graduates staying at the hotel drowned in the hotel's lake in suspicious circumstances, Kate and Hayden are pitched into a complex murder investigation.

This book read quite like an Agatha Christie novel. Six people who used to share a house at university meet up at the hotel five years later. Each of them has a secret from their last night at uni. The weather has taken a turn for the worst, and Kate and Hayden's car breaks down on the way back from their weekend away. They book into the hotel. This is quite an eerie read. The characters were well-developed. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #DavidHodges for my ARC of #StormOnTheLevel in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set within a snow storm, Kate and Haydon become entangled in a mystery that reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel.

Eccentric characters meet for a reunion but nothing is as it seems.

Atmospheric, entertaining and engaging, this story was full of tension and suspense.

Recommended.

[vince weldon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2* ADVANCED READER COPY REVIEW


This is the 12th outing for David Hodges Detective Kate Hamblin...reviewing the previous entry in the series earlier this year I gave it 2 stars and confessed to giving up half way so it was with some trepidation that I drew back the cover this time around.


It wasn't long before the irritations started again...Mr Hodges bastardisation of English for regional accents was an annoyance for me six months ago, here we have a Somerset levels hotel worker saying "...I workS here. What can I do fEr you?...weren't me. I be just the general cook and bottle-washer...dunno nothin' 'bout that. Far as I knowS...everything's been TOOK care of"...I could feel a headache coming on.


The tale itself parodies classic Christie (though as Hamblin says a quarter of the way in..."... This is not an Agatha Christie scenario where we call in Hercule Poirot...", a cast of former university housemates reunited in an isolated (snow bound) hotel five years after the apparent death of a colleague they'd all contrived to get extremely drunk. By chance Hamblin and her hapless husband happen upon the hotel seeking refuge from the unexpected whiteout. 


The bodies start to fall on the first morning (though, spoiler alert , I suspect they began before the party assembled - a plot device allowing the police duo a room for the night)...sadly the story, for me, descends into nonsense from that point. Within a few pages of the body being inspected for any sign of malpractice we learn that not only has every on site vehicle been incapacitated but all of the guests mobile phones have mysteriously disappeared from their rooms...as it's already been established that the landline is down, an apparent casualty of the storm, they're cut off from any sign of civilization in the midst of a potentially unhinged killer.


Given that there are two senior police officers  present the least I would have expected is some sort of search for the clutch of mobiles - by default they have to be on, or very close to, the premises...but no such activity takes place...no Poirot indeed, not even Marple...a third of the way through (Chapter 7 if you're bothered) and I'm close to giving up...Kate is instantly knocked out following a spray of chloroform - two minutes on Google confirmed my suspicion that such a spray does not exist, we need a higer dose than instant exposure for it to have that effect! Back in their room  and Kate is describing the 1:30AM events that led to that exposure, and she and Hayden are just going to go back to bed until the morning, she having woken him as she vomitted post chloroform...taking no precaution to secure the door thats surely already been compromised by whoever stole their phones...and then, she suggests a bit of nookie to address her husband's "frustration"...it's just ridiculous to me (as ridiculous as her referring to the housekeepers Mr & Mrs Parsons as the "Parsons'es", though that level of nit picking only kicks in when a books taken my annoyance levels through the gears; might also explain my despair a little later when one of the ex-grads doesn't know what a "swot" is. 


Chapter 8 starts with either an error, a red herring or a plot device ...we established in the previous chapter that one of the friends went into another room at 11:00PM, so when another says in passing over breakfast that they saw it happen as the hall clock struck "...the witching hour.”...in no mythos that I'm aware of would that fall before midnight or after dawn...


Chapter 10 sees a survivors meeting called , everyone's present but no mention is made of the missing mobiles, or mention made of the land line being sabotaged which Hayden had confirmed to Kate earlier that day...I'm getting thoroughly disengaged at this lack  of credibility now...bodies stacking up and no attempt to contact the outside world - makes no sense to me in this day and age.)


Chapter 13...Kate sees a mysterious hooded figure leave the hotel in the dead of night, a moonlit night BUT we are told "...where they had been going was a total mystery..." yet they're walking out into a snow bound surface, we know the snow's deep because we know where the mystery person has committed their latest killing...we also know that wherever she's turned in the dark there have been torches when needed so there's no excuse not to be able to see where any tracks have gone from the front door...and then after breakfast - hours later - she sees those footprints from the front door...This woman is a senior detective and for me the logic is defective...I'm just past halfway through the book so I've done better than my last Hodges review but I'm going to skim / speed read at best now as full attention would, for me,  be a complete waste of time...


Even at speed inconsistencies leap out - finding a key to the otherwise inaccessible clock tower Kate says they should explore "...tonight...everyone else should be in bed"...WHY? Surely exploring a potential location pertaining to a killer should be done expediently in daylight...because it suits the plot Hayden (along with Kate) sleeps through Tuesday breakfast, yet we'd previously established that he had an inbuilt alarm where food was involved... come to that , given that the hotel was allegedly closing after the Monday morning planned departures how did Mrs Parsons have food for additional unplanned meals?...real life it's not 🤣🤣


...and then it was over - killer was who I suspected , motive stretched as it was acceptable, plausibility limited...story ok, writing less than good...maybe I should pass on future pre-release reviews of David Hodges for both our sakes!

[Krys · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first foray into reading this series as well as this author, and based upon this story, it will probably be my last.

The first issue that I had with this novel is the fact that there are just way too many characters involved. I often found myself having to re-read passages as I tried to remember just who was who. The second issue is that, absolutely none of them are likable in the least.

Not even our married police couple Kate and Hayden. In fact, I found it hard to believe that these two were married given the way they constantly seemed to be going at one another. In fact, the first time we meet this couple, he criticizes her for her use of "foul language" after their car breaks down in the middle of a blizzard, and she thinks him "overweight and lazy" when he scoffs at the idea of having to walk to find shelter from said blizzard.

But that is only the beginning, numerous times throughout this story, the two of them are either sniping at one another (as she tends to rush in headfirst while he takes the time to consider things), or thinking unkind thoughts about the other. At no time, did I actually buy that those two had a happy marriage.

And then we move into the plot itself. While the story had the potential to be a page turning thriller, a lot of things just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it began when every vehicle that had been parked at the hotel was suddenly (and inexplicitly) disabled. Or maybe when ALL of the cell phones belonging to the people stranded at the hotel (including those of the two police officers) went missing and no one (not even said police officers) bothered to look for them.

There were a lot of implausible, if not downright laughable scenarios happening throughout this book that it was a struggle for me to finish at all. However, if you are already a fan of this series, and the author's writing style, then you may enjoy it more than I did.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight students celebrate their graduation with a drinks party where the odd one out in the group gets his drink spiked, wanders off home down the riverside path and is never seen again. The other seven discover him missing, blame themselves for his apparent drowning and vow to keep it all a guilty secret. Five years later six of the remaining very diverse group have a reunion at the remote Warneford Hall Hotel on the Somerset Levels manned by a skeleton staff but soon discover the invitations are bogus and the whole weekend has been paid for by a mystery benefactor. It’s not long before the atrocious snowy weather closes in, forcing DS Kate Lewis (formerly Hamblin) and her husband DC Hayden Lewis’ car off the road. They stumble across the hotel and take shelter. Then things begin to become very strange. Kate hears someone moving around in the night and an outside door is found left open. One of the group is pulled dead from the lake. The phonelines are down and with no way of driving out, they are all effectively stranded by the mounting snow in the supposedly haunted old building and soon a bump in the night heralds another death. As the body count rises, all hopes are on Kate and Hayden unmasking a killer in this brilliant locked room type murder mystery.
Without the usual team at Highbridge CID, this time Kate really does have to live up to her reputation as a bit of a lone wolf who occasionally rushes in headfirst with no thought for herself, but as usual her husband, the wonderfully eccentric and very loveable Hayden, is there to exact a more calming influence and come to her aid. This is another fun and highly enjoyable story in a series which has really grown on me and which is well worth reading from the very first book. With a great plot to have the reader suspecting literally everyone involved, the intrigue is maintained right to the ending which leaves me wondering what next for this very likeable pair.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Standalone books)
Wow! A book once started I really didn’t want to put down. Six people, once friends who shared a house at university, meet up at a hotel for a weekend stay five years later. They all hold a secret from their last night at uni. One of them disappeared after a night at the pub, one who never normally joined in so they all spiked his drink as a laugh. They thought he may have gone down the river path on his way home and drowned. When at the hotel they find out that one of the group had already died a couple of weeks beforehand, also drowned. The weather is closing in as it's snowing heavily and the hotel is in a dip, where mobile signals are sporadic. Nearby, detectives Kate and Hayden are also on their way back from a couple of days away when their car breaks down. They decide to walk and find themselves at the hotel. It's a strange place to say the least as it's being sold so there are only two rather odd staff remaining. When the bodies start accumulating, are the rest of the residents safe and who is behind this?

Oh boy! This is almost a locked room type scenario as all the residents and the two staff are snowed in with no means of outside communication. All of the group of friends had a hand in the drink spiking and other than Kate, Hayden and the two staff there is no sign of anyone else being around. The mystery deepens with a twist or two and I couldn't stop turning the pages. This is one heck of a stunning, captivating (all puns intended!) read. Although one of a series, this happily stands alone- I hadn't read the others- that said I may well be going back to find the others, I enjoyed this one so much. A brilliant read I can’t recommend highly enough. Very much looking forward to the next one.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog
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[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Storm on the Levels, the twelfth novel to feature DS Kate Lewis, née Hamblin, of Avon and Somerset Police.

Kate and her husband,Hayden, are returning from a weekend away when their car breaks down. They take refuge in a nearby hotel and soon find themselves snowed in with a group of six old university friends on a reunion. Kate suspects that the group have secrets and that seems borne out when one of them is found drowned in a frozen lake and the next day another drowns in the bath. Snowed in with no communication it is up to Kate to keep the rest safe and find a killer.

I enjoyed Storm on the Levels, which is a fun read with a whodunnit attached. The plot is fairly ridiculous (in a good way) with people getting picked off in all sorts of inventive ways - who knew there were so many ways of drowning - the lack of communication and the snowing in. Ideal for a murderer to run amok, with the main question for Kate being who and why and for the reader, who, as the why is made clear early on.

In between the murders the plot follows Kate’s investigation as she tries to work out what is happening and warn the group to take precautions. Of course, as entitled graduates they know better and look what happens. I found it interesting to follow her investigation and fun with so many events, not just murders.

Kate and Hayden have a very strange relationship. She’s all go and he’s so laid back he’s horizontal. I understand that he’s there to temper her excesses, but he comes across as lazy.

Storm on the Levels is a fun read that I can recommend.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing mystery

I would like to thank Joffe Books for sending me this book to read and review. I actually didn’t realise that it was book 12 in a series but nevertheless it worked as a standalone novel, with the main characters being filled out enough for me to feel I knew them. The story itself was both horrific and amusing at the same time, and somewhat reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel (And Then There Were None), and a Midsomer Murders episode. Stranded at an old and decaying hotel on the Somerset Levels during a severe snow storm, DS Kate Hamblin and her husband DS Hayden Hamblin find themselves surrounded by a group of University students who have all been mysteriously invited for a somewhat strange and fully paid for reunion. Gradually Kate and Hayden bizarrely become involved in strange events begin which give them great concern. With no way of making contact with the outside world and the impossibility of leaving the hotel, they find themselves in great peril. This is truly a rollercoaster of a plot with so many twists and turns you begin to wonder when and how it will all end. Eventually the murderer is discovered and events become even stranger. Behind it all there is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek humour which keeps the reader intrigued. In a lot of ways I wish I had started this series at the very beginning as I would certainly have enjoyed it. My only reason for giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 is the fact that I found it somewhat predictable and too lighthearted for a mystery, hence my likening of it to Midsomer Murders.

[Carole Gourlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another exciting book in the series set in Somerset.

Kate and Haydn have just had a lovely weekend away, but in the way home they are stuck in the snow storms and their car breaks down. The nearest place is an old abandoned hotel which is up for sale, and they struggle through the snow and eventually get there. It reminded me of some of the Alfred Hitchcock films, with the only two staff, man and wife who were cook and general dogsbody in residence.

However, there are a few other people there, and they are old friends from uni days having a weekend away and reunion. Things then take a sinister turn, someone is found in the lake, and then another person is found drowned in the bath, coincidence, Kate isn’t at all sure. However, there’s not a lot that her and Haydn can do, as the hotel has no phone and the roads are blocked due to the snow. She can’t get hold of anyone to help her out, and the bodies are beginning to mount.

This is a gripping and quite scary read, with dark corners lurking, spooky corridors and the murderer hot on the heels of all the guests.

As usual Kate is in the forefront, and all Hayd thinks about is food.

Again, this can be read as a standalone, as you don’t need loads of information on the characters to enjoy it. It is one excellent read.

My thanks to the author and Joffe publishers for the ARC.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

298 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

I’ve read several of Mr. Hodges’ novels. I have to say that I was disappointed in this one. DS Kate and her husband, DS Hayden are on their way home from a relaxing small vacation. Their car breaks down in the middle of a horrible blizzard. The only shelter they can find is a hotel that is on the verge of closing.

They find a group of six old friends from their university days are also at the hotel. They seem a little odd to Kate: superficial and far too taken with drink. Add to this, they all have a deep, treacherous secret.

Bad things begin to happen, like murder.

The premise of this book is great. I like reading books about people stranded in bad weather. No idea why. I thought, oh great David Hodges and stranded people. What’s not to like?

I didn’t like the relationship between Kate and Hayden. It seemed she was always criticizing him. Kate rushes headlong into situations, while Hayden is the voice of reason. He wants to think about the evidence before he makes assumptions. They didn’t show any affection for a married couple. They were just bleh.

I think Mr. Hodges missed the boat on this book. It appears that I am in a minority.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storm on the Levels by David Hodges is an exciting and atmospheric novel set in the English countryside. It follows the story of a young girl, Lettie, as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her missing father and the strange occurrences occurring in her small village.

The writing style of the book is highly descriptive and vivid, bringing the reader into the world of the Levels. I felt like I could almost smell the salty air of the Levels and feel the chill of the winter night. Hodges does an excellent job of creating a strong sense of atmosphere and tension.

The characters are also quite memorable and the reader is left wanting to know more about them. Lettie is a strong and determined protagonist, while her companions, the mysterious and powerful Tully and the wise old man, Mr. Jacobson, provide a nice contrast to her.

The plot of the novel is quite gripping and fast-paced. Hodges does a great job of weaving together several storylines and subplots to keep the reader guessing. The suspense and mystery of the novel is kept up until the very end, creating a satisfying resolution.

Overall, Storm on the Levels is an enjoyable and suspenseful read. Hodges has crafted a compelling story with memorable characters, vivid descriptions and an exciting plot. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book we find D.S Kate Hamblin and her husband Hayden heading home from a short break when not only does her car break down but a terrible snow storm hits.
Finding themselves stuck on a lonely country lane they search for some shelter.
Feeling relieved when they spot a sign for the Warneford Hall Hotel just over a bridge.
The hotel is apparently due for closure after their final guests have left.
In view of the weather Kate and Hayden are given a room by the remaining two members of staff.
That night at dinner they meet the other guests, a group of six old university friends there for a reunion.
Though to be honest they dont seem to be all that friendly. Kate senses an undercurrent of something going on below the surface.
Then one of the group is found drowned in a lake in the grounds.
Accident? possibly
Though possibly not when the next day another one drowns in the bath.
Kate is totally cut off from the outside world, no phone no mobile signal and when all the vehicles are found to have had their tyres slashed it falls to Kate and Hayden to discover who the killer is and attempt to keep the remaining members of the group safe.
This one moves along at quite a pace, plenty action with twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I enjoyed reading Storm on the Levels from start to finish.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. I've read a couple of the previous books but this has ramped up a notch. When their car breaks down during a storm, Kate and Hayden find themselves staying at a hotel which has closed but which is open for 6 guests, old friends all invited to stay by an unknown person. These friends have a connection to a tragic event in their past and it looks like their past is about to catch up with them.

This had a real Christie type feel to it and I love locked room mysteries so this was right up my alley. I could feel the tension throughout and it becomes even more palpable as people begin to be murdered one by one. Kate takes it upon herself to investigate. The characters in here are not likeable and Hayden is his usual annoying self. I have no idea why Kate is married to him. The feeling of being stranded and incommunicado was very strong and added to the story immensely. An interesting ending too.

My thanks to Joffe Books for a copy of this and this is my honest review.

[Alyce Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance eARC copy of the book. This is the twelfth book in the DS Kate Lewis series.

Kate and her husband, Hayden are returning from a short break when a record snowstorm blows in the Somerset and Avon area. Kate and Hayden are forced to seek shelter at a run down, soon to be closed hotel. They're not alone at the hotel. A group of six friends from university have been invited for a five year reunion. It's all rather mysterious as no one admits to doing the inviting, and the friendships from university have gone by the wayside after a tragic incident at the end of their final year. It's not long after Kate and Hayden's arrival that one of the friends is found dead. A tragic accident or something much worse? Kate's copper's nose is twitching. Soon, another body is found, and storm stead, with no cell service and no land line, it's up to Kate to discover the truth.

It's a great book. A variation of the locked room mystery. I knew early on who dunnit but not the why. A great read as all of the books are.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so thrilled to find out that David Hodges had released another book in this absolutely brilliant series and I wasn't disappointed.

Kate and Hayden are on a mini break when the weather takes a turn for the worst. They set off back early but the car breaks down. They are stranded in the middle of nowhere the only place to shelter is a Hotel that doesn't look very inviting but any port in a storm so off they head. The welcome isn't what they expected but they are given a room and informed the phone line is down so nobody knows where they are as there is no mobile signal..

They are sharing the hotel with a group of ex-students having a reunion. Not ideal but ....

Next morning a body is found, then everyone's mobile phone disappears and that is only the start of the problems.

An absolutely gripping story that grabs the reader from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end.

An interesting mix of characters with their own personalities. A plot that keeps on giving ...

I absolutely loved this, definitely 5 stars from me.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Brilliant Series

Detectives Kate and her husband Hayden are on their way home from a short break when their car breaks down and they are stranded miles from anywhere in a terrible snow storm. Luckily they spot a sign to a hotel and struggle to reach it but when they do they are in for a surprise. The only guests are a small party of ex university students, on a reunion, but something is not quite right and soon Kate and Hayden are investigating several murders, with everyone wondering who will be next. I have enjoyed every book in this series, and this book had me gripped from the first page.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gripping and enjoyable book, with a twist turn storyline and plot, featuring great characters. It reminds me of an Agatha Christie story.
I love the way the main characters, Kate and Hayden, interact with each other and that little bit of humour.
A very different approach in that they are involved with the investigation as it unfolds instead of the normal call out.
This does keep you guessing, and although I guessed right in the end, I wasn't prepared for the outcome.
Although part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone and well worth reading.
My thanks to Joffe books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read all of the Kate Hamblin books to date, I was looking forward to reading this one although I wouldn't say it's my favourite in the collection by any means.

Adopting a different stance given Kate and Hayden are taken away from the station and dropped into the middle of a group of 'friends' on a reunion weekend during a storm, it takes an alternative approach to what has gone before but remains an enjoyable read.

It's understandable that some reviews can describe it as being Christie-esque in parts and it's certainly worth a read even though there are better books featuring the two main characters available for those who may not have come across them before.

[Christine Duckhouse · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have

I should have stopped reading the series around book 5, Secrets on the Levels, possibly even earlier. The only thing that kept me reading them was the time I'd invested into reading the series. Lesson now learned.
The main character, Sergeant Kate, is just so unbelievable. She must have feline blood running through her veins, as she certainly has more than one life. The basic story line never changes, so if you read detective stories, you'll most likely work out the answers long before Kate does.
Even in this last book, I'd worked out who the murderer most likely was and I wasn't far short of her relationship to those involved.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story in the line of ‘Then there were none’, Kate and Hayden are stranded by a storm and a breakdown. They find refuge in a hotel, which although up for sale is hosting its last guests, a reunion of a group of university housemates.
Things take a turn for the worse when one of the group is found drowned in the lake. Kate and Hayden, although they haven’t yet admitted that they are Police, decide to investigate as murder is suspected. Hampered by a worsening storm and no contact with the outside world as all mobiles are missing and the landline is down.
Good reworking of the tale.

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real eye-opener. The weather forcing Kate and Hayden to be on their own with a bunch of former university pranksters. It was fascinating to see how the chemistry between them worked in a strange environment - at times it reminded me of the famous episode of Porridge where Fletch and Godber are in their cell all night and no-one else appears. Excellent writing, as here. Looking forward to seeing the return of the two characters in due course.
Julian Tremayne, Pocklington, East Yorkshire

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this double twist on a vanishing suspects theme. The main suspects are snowbound in a rather remote and somewhat seedy hotel and one of them has an agenda. Enter the married police presences of Kate and Hayden whose car breaks down nearby and they have to tramp through deepening snow to that same place. Then the deaths begin. Suspense!
I requested and received an EARC from Joffe Books. Thank you.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Kate Hamblin series of books, this one not so much, although it can be read as a stand alone. I struggled to get into the story and the relationship between Kate and Hayden was just not that of a couple. there is a bit of suspense, although the pace was slow and I never really empathised with any of the characters. A serial killer, marooned in a storm and reminiscent of Midsomer Murders, makes it a cosy, light-hearted mystery. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

[Kaye Wynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beware where you stay!

Another gripping story of Kate and Hayden. What should have been a pleasant few days away turn into a search for a serial killer! Plenty of twists and turns and a deeper look into the relationship of our two heroes. (Poor Hayden really needs to learn to look after himself.) A story of revenge and bitterness, leading to numerous bodies. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Got to wait for the next one now!

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

STORM ON THE LEVELS by DAVID HODGESDETECTIVE KATE HAMBLIN MYSTERY SERIES.
Detective Kate and her husband Hayden are on their way home from a romantic mini-break when a ferocious storm blows in and their car breaks down. Stranded on a remote lane in the blizzard, they seek shelter in a nearby hotel, Warneford Hall.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Kate. A gripping read. 4*.

[Pippi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A group of former students with a guilty secret are stuck in a remote hotel and get bumped off one by one …. I wasn’t sure if this was an amusing pastiche or if it was laughably bad. Unfortunately it’s the latter. The baddy is the one you know it is, who pretty much confesses. Hmm, says the detective, I’m sure I’ve heard something significant … and there’s twelve of these books???

[Dizzy Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Page turner! Definately 5 star ⭐️
This book has it all, great storyline that had me glued to it, a serial killer on the loose, full of action, twists and turns, a plot you can’t read until the end! Absolutely fantastic. Recommend this book

[David Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading

A good read even though the plot obviously followed those in previous books using a group of people trapped in a hotel by bad weather and the ending was easily predicted.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was nice to see Kate and Haydn work a case without all the higher ups holding them back. It was a strange case but it had a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book. Beth P.

[Lindalutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best so far

I enjoyed every bit of this book from the very beginning to the last sentence. They were trapped but worked together to solve the mystery. I read it in one sitting and am tempted to read it again. Great job.